Spring-support for vehicle-tops.



7 PATBNTED MAYBI, 1904.

' E. G. MARTIN. v SPRING SUPPORT FOR VEHICLE TOPS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 23, 1902.

no 10mm.

FIG 1 PI G-.6.

UNITED STATES Patented May 31, 1904;

PATENT OFFICE.-

TO JOSEPH SHERMAN MILLER,

OF TYLER, TEXAS, AND WILLIAM NEWTON HURT, OF SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

SPRING-SUPPORT FOR VEHICLE-TOPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,239, dated May 31, 1904. i Application filed December- 2 2, 1902. Serial No. 136,217. (No model.)

To all whom it concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD GALE MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tyler, in the county of Smith and State of Texas, have 5 invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-Supports forVehicle-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

The object of'my invention is the provision of spring or flexible supports for the back 1 bows of a vehicle-top, which supports shall be adapted to be attached to the top brace-bolts located upon the rear portion of the seat or upon the rail attached to said seat. Asis well known, when the top of avehicle is lowered I each back bow rests upon the top brace-bolt and supports the weight of the top, and unless some flexible means is provided for supporting the top the back bow is liable to become broken or bent or the pivotal points injured 2 by constant vibration and finally become disconnected.

My invention consists in certains novelties of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principle.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle- 'top, showing the application of my spring-support to the top brace-bolt. Fig. 2 is a side view of the spring-support. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig.2. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the spring-support attached to the top brace-bolt. Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section of Fig. 3, taken through the pad.

Referring to the several figures, the'letterA 4 designates the top as a whole; B, the top bows,

which are of usual construction; O, the back bows; D, the top brace or prop provided with the usual knuckle-joint; E, the seat-rail,which may be detachably or permanently secured to the seat; F, the top brace-bolt, square in cross-section and to which the top brace is pivoted; G, the cap-nut; H, the spring-arms of the support; I, the coiled ends of the spring upset or fashioned to a shape square in crosssection and which are adapted to frictionally fit upon the top brace-bolt in such a manner that the coils cannot turnthereupon; J, a loop formed by reversely bending the rear portion of the spring-arms; K, a pad, preferably made of two thicknesses of leather or other material stitched together at their edges; L, a slot made in the lower thickness of the leather or other material, through which may be inserted the loop J to a position between the two thicknesses of leather, and M is a rivet which is passed through both thicknesses of the leather adjacent the inner portion of the loop and which holds the loop in position between the two thicknesses of leather.

The method of assembling the parts is obvious from an inspection of the figures of the drawings and need not be set forth.

In use when the vehicle-top is lowered the braces O rest upon the pads of the springsupports at each corner of the seat and are supported in such a manner that the springs yieldingly carry the top.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings it is clear that I have produced a spring-support which fulfils all the conditions set forth as the object and purpose of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a top brace-bolt which is angular in cross-section, of a springsupport consisting of a bent wire havingarms H, H, the free ends of which are coiled and upset or formed to fit the angular top bracebolt, and the rear ends of the arms provided with a pad.

2-. A spring-support for the rear bows of vehicle-tops consisting of a wire bent upon itself to form parallel arms H H, the free ends of which are coiled to fit an angular top bracebolt, the rear end of the said wire being reversely bent to form a support, and a pad secured to the support.

.3. A spring-support for the rear or back bows of vehicle-tops, consisting of a wire bent upon itself to form parallel arms H, H; coiled 2 names ends I, I; loop J; pad K having a slot L; and ing a slot Within which the loop is inserted rivet M, securing the pad in position. and secured by suitable means. 1O

4. A spring-support for the rear bows of In testimony WhereofIaflix my signature in Vehicle-tops consisting of an integral Wire, presence of tWo Witnesses.

bent upon itself to form parallel arms H, H; i EDWARD GALE MARTIN. the free ends of the Wire coiled and adapted Witnesses: to embrace a top brace-bolt; the rear portion R. H. BROWN,

of the Wire bent to form a loop, and a pad hav- GEO; W. GROSS. 

